Are the 'last days' as mentioned in the Bible already upon us? Whoever is doubting this, will - on reading this passage - probably arrive at the conclusion that the description given here of humanity, is strikingly relevant to our modern times.
People are increasingly becoming lovers of themselves. Disobedience to parents is gradually becoming a virtue, or at least judicially regulated. Boastfulness and pride are familiar scenes on the television. We learn to accept lying and deceit by looking at commercials. Love of pleasure - instilled from an early age - has made young people unruly and without self-control, and religion has deteriorated to a powerless issue. Many people only pretend to be believers, but when it comes down to deeds of faith and trust, they prefer to renounce God.
All the issues mentioned here, are the inevitable result of the fact that sound preaching is no longer heard.
Sound preaching speaks out radically against the flesh – the desires of human nature - speaks out against materialism.
When we no longer allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, we tend to descend into groupthink. Then we give God an insignificant place in our self-chosen patterns of life. We use God to ease our conscience and to guarantee our share in a potential eternity. Thus a form of godliness has replaced the reality and we conceal our decay with fine-sounding words.
Are we really too frightened to honestly acknowledge all this? Without the revelation of the living Lord in our lives, there can indeed be no true repentance!